Obama awards Newtown victims with Presidential Citizens Medal

The Associated Press

Published
12:00 am EST, Friday, February 15, 2013

Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV
The memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The sun rises above the trees, illuminating parts of the memorial, as Connecticut State Troopers block of the entrance road to the Sandy Hook Elementary School. less

Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV
The memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The ... more

Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV
The memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The sun rises above the trees, illuminating parts of the memorial, as Connecticut State Troopers block of the entrance road to the Sandy Hook Elementary School. less

Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV
The memorial setup near the Sandy Hook firehouse, and the entrance road to Sandy Hook Elementary School continues to grow as seen here early Thursday morning December 20, 2012. The ... more

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal on the six adults killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting in December.

Obama presented the medal to family members of the six educators from Sandy Hook Elementary School in a White House ceremony. He read their names one by one, saying they gave their lives to protect the children in their care.

Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a renowned pediatrician who developed a leading behavioral test for newborns, was also honored, as was former Pennsylvania Sen. Harris Wofford and a handful of others who were recognized for contributions to public service.

Obama says citizenship binds the nation together and captures Americans' belief in something bigger than themselves.